CEDAW/C/PHL/CO/7-8
mechanisms to monitor the implementation of these laws, with the participation
of women’s organizations, at both the national and local levels.
Access to justice
14.
The Committee notes with concern:
(a) That no effective remedies have been provided to the authors of
communications No. 18/2008 (Vertido v. the Philippines) and No. 34/2011 (R.P.B. v.
the Philippines);
(b) That discriminatory gender stereotypes, stigmatization and the lack of
adequate support systems all pose barriers to justice and to effective remedies for
women, in particular those facing multiple forms of discrimination, such as women
in poverty, women with disabilities, indigenous and Muslim women, wome n living
in geographically inaccessible areas, and lesbian, bisexual and transgender women;
(c) That a number of judicial decisions, including decisions on sexual and
reproductive health rights and gender-based violence against women, are not fully
compliant with the provisions of the Convention;
(d) That judicial and legal procedures at courts, police stations and health care facilities are not sufficiently accessible to persons with disabilities and are
often gender-insensitive.
15. The Committee urges the State party to provide effective remedies to the
authors of communications No. 18/2008 (Vertido v. the Philippines) and
No. 34/2011 (R.P.B. v. the Philippines), in line with the recommendations issued
by the Committee (see CEDAW/C/46/D/18/2008 and CEDAW/C/57/D/34/2011),
and to submit its responses on these cases without any further delay.
16. With reference to its general recommendation No. 33 (2015) on women’s
access to justice, the Committee recommends that the State party:
(a) Ensure that justice systems, both formal and informal, do not
discriminate against women and are secure, affordable and physically
accessible for women, including those who face intersecting forms of
discrimination, such as by institutionalizing accessibility for women with all
forms of disabilities, and raise awareness among women about all available
justice systems;
(b) Take measures, including the development of capacity-building
programmes for justice system personnel, in order to strengthen gender
responsiveness and gender sensitivity and ensure that the various religious,
customary and indigenous justice systems harmonize their norms, procedures
and practices with the Convention;
(c) Ensure that the justice system, including the transitional justice
system, provides and enforces remedies for women that are effective, gender sensitive and proportionate to the gravity of the harm suffered;
(d) Assess the functionality and effectiveness of women and children
protection desks at police stations, in consultation with all stakeholders,
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